While these events were in progress,Fulvia was dead.The death seemed extremely fortunate to both of the parties who were rid of her.Nevertheless,Antony was much saddened by this event because he considered himself in some sense the cause of it.There was a certain Lucius Cocceius,who had been sent ,in company with Caecina, by Octavian,the previous summer, to Antony in Phoenicia, and had remained with Antony after Caecina returned.This Cocceius pretended that he had been sent for by Octavian.When Antony allowed him to go he asked,by way of testing his disposition,whether Antony would like to write any letter to Octavian making use of himself as his messenger.Antony replied:"I wrote letters in reply to his of some
time ago,which I sent by the hand of Caecina.Take copies of those."
This he said by way of jest,but Cocceius would not yet allow him to call Octavian an enemy after his generous behavior towards Lucius.But Antony replied:"He has shut me out of " Cocceius, after hearing these complaints, did not care to irritate further a naturally passionate disposition,but proceeded to make his visit to Octavian.When Octavian saw him he expressed astonishment that he had not come sooner."I did not save your brother," he exclaimed, "in order that you should be my enemy." Cocceius replied, "How is it that you, who make friends out of enemies, call your friends enemies and take from them their armies and provinces?"
"It was not
fitting," replied Octavian,"that resources should be left in the hands of such a stripling as Calenus' son. Asinius was about to use them. So, too, I took sudden possession of the legions of Plancus, in order that they might not join the Pompeians. His cavalry has actually gone to Sicily." "These matters have been told differently,"said Cocceius; "but even Antony did not credit the statements made to him."
"I gave no order on that subject," replied Octavian,"for I did not know beforehand that he was coming, nor did I anticipate that he would come here with enemies.The Brundusians themselves and the praefect, who had been left with them on account of the raids of Ahenobarbus, of their own motion excluded Antony."